German Published Patent Application No. 37 43 438 describes a device which effects, according to an instantaneous state and an input vector assignment of digital process input quantities, a transition to a subsequent state and a transfer of new control data to an output stage. Here, a control file is provided that is stored in the device and in which the input quantities or rather the combinations of these input quantities are specified that are relevant to the respective instantaneous state.
In German Published Patent Application No. 42 26 456, a programmable state controller is described that facilitates a state transition from an instantaneous state to a subsequent state for multiple processors.
With such a state controller or rather known device, reaction times to changes in the input data are significantly shortened in comparison to a customary programmable controller that, during control operation, reads out individual statements of the control program, corresponding to processing with a Von Neumann machine, from a memory step by step, interprets them and finally executes the corresponding operations.
From the printed publication "Automatisiern mit SIMATIC S5-155U" Automation with SIMATIC S5-155U!, Hans Berger, 1989, a programming device is known that is provided for translating a control task into a control program for an automation unit. All functions of the control task are programmed or described with a representation type "Statement list", "Function plan" or "Contact plan" "Ladder diagram"!. The programming device translates the programmed functions regardless of the representation types into a corresponding machine code. This code contains all control functions programmed by the user and is read and interpreted by the automation unit after the code was transferred into the automation unit. With this known programming device, it is only possible to produce a control program for a programmable state controller with considerable programming effort. In the older German patent application P 42 35 342.4, a programming device for a programmable state controller is described. The programming device has a memory in which a control task created with a software tool is stored in the form of an action timing diagram that can be displayed on a display apparatus, the action timing diagram describing input and output signals for a technical process to be controlled in the form of binary and/or analog signals. The action timing diagram is processed by the software tool to create a control program having control and status codes for solving the control task, starting from an instantaneous state, through suitable evaluation of level transitions of the signals, and corresponding input, control and state status! codes of the control program are created for the state controller. Knowledge of a programming language or the representation types customary in automation engineering for a control task is not necessary.